As a small business owner, you would like to ensure it is as easy as possible for your customers to pay for your offerings. Square, a credit-card processing service designed for iPhones, iPads and Android-powered devices will help you fulfill this goal. But Square, created by Square, Inc., isn’t free. It will cost you when you swipe a customer’s credit card through the tiny card reader that attaches to your smart phone or tablet. The question, then, is a large one: Are the benefits of Square worth the extra price you’ll pay on transactions fueled by it?

How it works

Working with Square is a simple process. First, plug the small, square, Square Reader device into the audio jack on your tablet or smartphone. Then, simply swipe your customers’ credit cards through the reader. The reader will scan the credit card and process the sale. If, for whatever reason, you can’t swipe a customer’s credit card, you can also manually close the transaction by entering the card number using Square. The Square Reader is free. The app that makes the reader work, Square Register, is free, too. You can download the app from the Google Play store or the App Store.

The Biggest Positive of Square

Square has to be doing something right. A recent story by USA Today reported that Square now boasts over 800,000 customers, an impressive total for a business that’s still quite young. The reason behind this growth? Entrepreneur Magazine, in a recent story, pointed to the simplicity of the system. There’s little learning curve for small business owners. Even the least tech-savvy users will have the Square system up and running in no time. Square also gives entrepreneurs the power to make life easier for their customers, a definite benefit. Owners won’t have to tell plastic-wielding consumers that they don’t accept credit cards.

The Downside to Square

Nothing is perfect, though, and Square isn’t an exception. Even though the Square Reader and Square Register are free, using the service is not. Business owners will pay 2.75 of a transaction to Square, Inc. each time they swipe a customer’s credit card. If business owners instead punch in the credit-card manually, they’ll pay 3.5 percent of each transaction. Those costs will add up. A second weakness? In a review of Square, Entrepreneur Magazine said that the human-provided customer service is less than stellar. Still, Square may be a net positive to your business. And in today’s economy, any advantage is vital.

When you consider the technology that your business needs to thrive, what pops into your mind? Cloud storage? Contact-management software? Social media pages? Tablets and smartphones for your salespeople and other staffers? What about printers? You may think that printers are becoming obsolete, going the way of fax machines before them. But you would be wrong. Sure, we are all looking forward to the time when business goes completely paperless. With e-mail, cloud storage systems, social networking sites and tablets that are as powerful as miniature computers, we’re closing in on that day. But we aren’t there yet.

Can’t turn away business

As writer Paul Mah with Small Business Computing.com says, business owners will frequently run into clients who demand real paper trails of their transactions. These customers are either unable or hesitant to move toward a paperless business model. Small business owners today are hardly ever in the position of turning away any customers, even those who won’t adjust to new technology. It’s important, then, for business owners to invest in the correct printer. Fortunately, Mah provides some choices.

All-in-one?

First, you’ll want to determine whether you need a multi-function printer. Such printers, as their name suggests, do more than just print. They also scan, photocopy and fax. Such printers make sense for firms that perform these other functions. But these printers, because of their many functions, are often more expensive. If your company rarely faxes or makes photocopies, a unit dedicated solely to printing will make more sense.

Laser vs. Inkjet

The old debate has always centered on whether laser printers or inkjet printers make more sense for small businesses. The truth is, both kinds of printers come with downsides and upsides. Consider laser printers. As Mah writes, it’s widely acknowledged that laser printers produce cleaner, more vibrant copy than inkjet printers. On the down side? Laser printers can be more expensive. Then take a look at inkjet printers. These are usually less expensive and their technologies have improved so that the prints that come from them are clearer than ever before. But you will find downsides here, too. For one thing, you’ll need to replace those printer heads often if your business does a lot of printing. Secondly, the printer heads clog up on an inkjet printer in the event the printer is not used often enough. There are other considerations when buying a printer for your business. The more you print, the higher-end printer you’ll need. If you want to print in color, you’ll need to decide whether to use a printer containing both black and color cartridges or one that utilizes a single-cartridge system to produce all colors.

You invested in the new Windows 8 operating system mainly because the system’s new touch-screen capabilities intrigued you. There’s just one problem: Your older computer is not a touch screen. You still open files, look at the internet and manage e-mail messages with an old-fashioned mouse and keyboard. And what if you utilize a tablet to run Windows 8? Then you’ll be missing out on the many mouse- and keyboard-controlled options that come with the product. Don’t lose hope. Traditional laptop and desktop computer users are still able to enjoy many of the touch-screen and gesture-based features contained in Windows 8. And tablet users can enjoy the keyboard- and mouse-based features. You just need to invest in the right peripherals. Fortunately, PC Magazine recently ran a feature story outlining these must-have Windows 8 add-ons.

Microsoft Wedge Mobile Keyboard

PC Magazine points out the Microsoft Wedge is not only just a portable keyboard. Additionally, it is an indispensable tool to enable tablet users to get the most of the Windows 8 experience. For one thing, the keyboard provides a better typing experience than your tablet’s onscreen keyboard. Secondly, Windows 8 features are included in the keypad. Even the cover can become a tablet stand, enabling you to mimic the desktop experience.

Logitech T650 Wireless Rechargeable Touchpad

Want to access those touch-screen features found in Windows 8 without needing to get a tablet or some other touch-screen device? Try the Logitech T650 Wireless Rechargeable Touchpad. The product works so well the editors at PC Mag have made it their top choice for Windows 8 computer mice.

Kingston DataTraveler Workspace

It looks like a USB flash drive, however the Kingston DataTraveler Workspace actually contains Windows To Go, a portable and bootable version of Windows 8. As a result it is possible to bring the Windows 8 operating system — or at least the portable form of it — to the PC of your choice. Best news? It possesses a reputation for being safe and secure.

Think your smartphone is protected from malware attacks? Reconsider that thought. The depressing statistics indicate that cyber criminals are increasingly turning their attention to smartphones. This should not be surprising. Naturally, we are increasingly using our smartphones as miniature computers. Many people are even making use of these devices for online banking. Smart phones, then, represent a huge untapped market for cyber criminals. The good news? It is possible to safeguard yourself from mobile malware by adopting some common-sense strategies.

Scary Numbers

The security firm F-Secure offers rather frightening numbers: According to the firm, the volume of malware attacks directed at mobile Android devices quadrupled from the first quarter of 2011 to the same quarter in 2012. That’s one among several unsettling statistics regarding mobile malware. CNN Money writer David Goldman, for instance, recently cited an article from security firm Lookout Security that four in 10 smart phone users will click or swipe a suspicious Web Link this year. Goldman also writes that smartphone cyber attacks have spiked by a factor of six, according to figures revealed from anti-virus company McAfee.

The Good News

These numbers shouldn’t cause smartphone users to toss their devices in the river. Regardless of the increasing amount of mobile malware, cyber criminals continue to focusing primarily on PCs. For just one reason, it’s easier. Developers learned from their past mistakes, and have made it more hard for cyber criminals to take over smartphones and other mobile devices. At the same time, these criminals have been so effective in targeting PC users, they have little financial incentive to target mobile devices. Consumers, though, shouldn’t rely on this for much longer, Goldman writes. As smart phones will continue to rise in popularity, they will likely see a greater number, and variety, of malware attacks.

Protect Yourself

You can safeguard yourself from mobile malware attacks. And, the same as with PCs, it mostly requires sound judgment. To illustrate, when you are looking for new apps, be cautious. Don’t unintentionally download pirated versions of free apps. The pirates behind these apps will charge you for apps you could normally get at no cost. Be suspicious, too, of apps promoting free virus protection. Mobile virus software generally isn’t free. A free app could be a virus in disguise. When you’re shopping for apps stay in well-known, regulated app stores. Independent app stores like GetJar don’t have the same amount of regulation as iTunes and other regulated stores. Finally, be suspicious of phishing schemes. Never give out private information like checking account numbers or Social Security numbers through e-mail.

Do you read and send e-mail messages through your smart phone? Of course you do. Do you actually like the e-mail tool you use to accomplish this? If you’re like most smart phone users, most likely not. The simple truth is that few smart phone users like their mobile e-mail programs. There’s a new contender in the mobile e-mail space, though, and it may change this. Tech provider Orchestra recently launched Mailbox, its new e-mail client for the iPhone. And the ratings? So far, they are fantastic.

Features

Tech writers have already been raving about Mailbox for iPhone for one main reason: It is easy to tell it has been specifically designed for a smart phone. This represents a big difference from most mobile e-mail programs. A great number of them operate as if they were made for desktop and laptop computers then ported, with few changes, to mobile platforms. Mailbox for iPhone does not feel like it was designed this way. This is because to delete messages, archive them, save them for a later date or respond to them, you use the swiping motion so typical to today’s smart phones and other mobile computing devices. This straightforward improvement gives Mailbox for iPhone an edge over its contenders.

Viewing

Supporters of this new Mailbox app claim that sending e-mail messages feels more like Tweeting or texting. This is a pretty heady compliment; after all, most smart phone users prefer texting or sending quick Tweets to relying upon traditional e-mail programs to send out messages. Mailbox also configures e-mail messages so that they are super easy to read on a typical smart phone screen. When messages are first displayed, as an example, Mailbox doesn’t show unneeded information such as signatures. It’s only if users tap on messages that additional information — such as the “To” and “From” features — are presented.

To Do

Finally, Mailbox provides a sort of handy to-do list for your e-mail messages. It’s easy to access options than enable you to choose when a message, after you have read it, will reappear in your inbox. You can choose from such options as “Later Today”, “This Evening”, “Tomorrow” and “Next Week”. For any especially long-term messages, you can choose the “In a Month” option. Our recommendation? If you are fed up with e-mail clients that are slow or that feel as if that they were designed solely for desktop computers, explore Orchestra’s Mailbox. The chances are you’ll like it.